Warriors and Weapons
by Jaynesdingleberries
Summary: What would happen iif there was a passenger on board before Simon, River, and Book got on? And what if River was made into a weapon only to find and stop another weapon?


Disclaimer: I own the whole 'verse. Sure. eye roll

AU: What if there was another person aboard _Serenity, _who booked passage before Simon, River, or Book came into the picture? What if River was made to hunt down another weapon like her: one who was made by the Alliance, who escaped, and who dates back to Earth-That-Was?

_Prologue: Arrangements_

"How can I help you, miss?" Mal asked, a pleasant --and he hoped ingratiating-- smile plastered on his face as he attempted to charm the young woman who was looking for passage.

By the fine quality and design of her robes, she could have been mistaken as a Companion, but there was something in her bearing, her demeanor that suggested that she was not one made to comfort others, even at a price.

The woman stood before _Serenity's _open lock in a rich array of silk and brocade in burgundy, black, and gold; it had sleeves that flowed down past her hands and a collar that left only her jaw bare. Her brown hair was artfully pulled back into a delicate but practical coiffure. Expensive sandalwood incense drifted from her. Her trunks, which were tightly packed on the trolley behind her, were many and large.

Kaylee, standing a little behind the captain, thought she looked shiny.

When she answered the captain, her voice caused shivers to dance down Mal and Kaylee's spines. It was not deep, but husky, as if it had been damaged in the past, but was not unpleasant.

To Kaylee it sounded like bells, but the Captain frowned on hearing it. It was no accent that he had ever heard, and he had traveled extensively. He could place a person's home planet or moon just by the cadence of their speech. Hell, the only reason he never demanded Jayne to tell where he came from was because Mal knew instantly by the mercenary's thick drawl.

"As I understand Miss Frye here," she nodded in Kaylee's direction; "you are accepting passengers, Captain Reynolds." She tilted her head to the side in polite inquiry. "Is the berth still available?"

"Indeed it 'tis. Where're you headed?"

"I have yet to decide upon a destination. I am willing to pay double for a bunk for as long as necessary, until I've reached a decision."

Mal blinked, not quite certain he'd heard that right.

"You mean you just want to ride in my ship for as long as you want, until you find a place you want to get off on?" he asked.

"That's right." she nodded.

His eyes narrowed suspiciously; "And you're willing to pay double board?"

"Yes."

"Who you runnin' from?" he asked bluntly; Kaylee gasped behind him as she looked back to the lady, wondering if she'd take offense.

"I run from no one," the woman said, and there was a hardness to her words that took both the captain and his mechanic aback; "I simply have no wish to remain on Bellerophon. It has become dull to me and I desire to make a new start somewhere else."

"Somewhere you don't know yet?"

"The black is like any other. It is a good place to start anew."

Mal gave this some thought; memories of how he started to live again after the war, buying _Serenity, _going into the black and knowing that he'd never find another home dirtside.

"Okay," he agreed with a shrug. "Double charge if that's what you want to do. Stay as long as you like or as long as I allow," another shrug, he noticed her expression didn't change at this new stipulation. "What is your name, by the way?"

"Yona. Dalonige Yona." she replied as she grasped the handle of her trolley, prepared to board.

"Where do you hail from?"

"Nowhere in particular. I spent the last seven years teaching at the Regularis School for the Gifted."

"Huh. A school-teacher." Sure wouldn't have guessed that, he thought to himself.

"If you like," she nodded. During the entire conversation her face had expressed nothing, save for that one glimpse of hardness. She reminded him of Zoë, a little. Which reminded him to check ands see if his second-in-command and mercenary had gotten back yet...if Jayne caused trouble again...

"Welcome aboard." he said, smiled again, the turned to other captainy things that needed doing; leaving his new fair with the sunny mechanic.

"Wow, you're a teacher? Do you teach eti-quette and stuff like that? Or stuff like book-learnin'? What do you like to be called, Dalonge or Yona? Its an interesting name, I've never heard nothing' like it before--"

"Yes, I'm a teacher," the woman interrupted the barrage of excited questions softly; effectively silencing the mechanic. "I have taught etiquette _and_ academics. I prefer to be called Yona because it is easier to say than 'Dalonige.' It is probably interesting because it is from an ancient language called _Tsa-la-gi. _It is roughly translated as 'Yellow Bear.'"

Kaylee paused to absorb all the new information on the shiny new passenger, and then asked excitedly, "Have you ever flown on a Firefly?"


End file.
